Tombstone
Born: 2000 – XFL founding franchise
Folded May 10, 2001
First Game: February 3, 2001 (W 33-29 vs. Chicago Enforcers)
Last Game: April 14, 2001 (L 26-25 vs. San Francisco Demons)
XFL Championships: None
Stadium
Marketing
Team Colors:
Ownership
Owner: XFL
Attendance
Tap (mobile) or mouse over chart for figures. Tilting your mobile device may offer better viewing.
Source: Kenn.com Attendance Project
Our Favorite Stuff
Orlando Rage XFL
Raglan T-Shirt
We love this fun 3/4 sleeve raglan design from Cincinnati’s Old School Shirts, calling back to the 2001 Orlando Rage of the original XFL. Upon the logo’s reveal in August 2000, long-time Orlando Sentinel columnist Jerry Greene noted the forehead lightning bolt and suggested the Rage’s mascot looked like “Harry Potter on steroids”.
This Rage design is also available as a standard Unisex T-Shirt and can be ordered in sizes Small through XXL from Old School Shirts today!
When you make a purchase through an affiliate link like this one, Fun While It Lasted earns a commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!
Background
The Orlando Rage were a One-Year Wonder pro football franchise in the NBC/World Wrestling Entertainment-backed XFL during the spring of 2001. The Rage were the class of the XFL during the regular season posting a league-best record of 8-2 under Head Coach Galen Hall. Hall was (theoretically) familiar to local fans as the former Head Coach of the Orlando Thunder of the World League of American Football, a similarly doomed effort at minor league spring football in the Citrus Bowl a decade earlier.
Injury Problems
One of the gimmicks rule book innovations of the original XFL was The Scramble, a bonkers pre-game initiation that replaced the traditional coin flip. Officials placed a game ball on the 50-yard line. One player from each team lined-up alongside one another on the 35-yard line. On the referees whistle, the players sprinted 15 yards and dived at the ball headlong. Whoever came out with the pigskin chose the game’s initial possession.
At Orlando’s XFL opener at the Citrus Bowl on February 3rd, 2001, Rage defensive back Hassan Shamsid-Deen came out for the Scramble. In the ensuing scrum, Shamsid-Deen separated his shoulder and was lost for the season without ever playing a down of true football.
The Rage got out to a 6-0 start with former NFL journeyman quarterback Jeff Brohm under center. After Brohm’s season was curtailed due to injury, the Rage dropped three of their final five games, including an upset home loss to the San Francisco Demons in the first round of the XFL playoffs in April 2001.
WWE Chairman Vince McMahon folded the XFL on May 10, 2001 after major financial losses and disappointing ratings and response from league TV partners NBC and UPN.
Orlando Rage Shop
OUR FAVORITE STUFF
Orlando Rage
XFL Replica Jersey
When it comes to Replica Jerseys, we turn to our friends at Royal Retros, who put extraordinary detail into their fully customizable USFL, WFL, XFL and WLAF jerseys.
Free Customization Included
Any name and number
Heavyweight sewn tackle twill letters & numbers
100% polyester
When you make a purchase through an affiliate link like this one, Fun While It Lasted earns a commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!
XFL MINI-HELMETS
Orlando Rage
XFL Mini-Helmet
This XFL Mini Helmet is available through Royal Retros.
15 oz. mini helmet
Style worn by the Rage in 2001
- Typically ships in 3-5 business days
Fulfilled by 417 Helmets
When you make a purchase through an affiliate link like this one, Fun While It Lasted earns a commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!
Editor's Pick
This Was The XFL
ESPN Films 30 for 30 (DVD)
Directed by Charlie Ebersol
Charlie Ebersol, son of XFL co-founder Dick Ebersol (NBC Sports), directs this ESPN 30 for 30 documentary re-telling of the star-crossed 2001 season of Vince McMahon’s pro football/pro wrestling mash-up, the XFL. Weirdly, the process of making this film inspired Charlie Ebersol to try his own hand at running a spring football league. Ebersol’s equally messy Alliance of American Football would ultimately become a saga worthy of its own 30 for 30 treatment someday.
Watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVTi1g1MTOg
When you make a purchase through an affiliate link like this one, Fun While It Lasted earns a commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support
Orlando Rage Video
The Rage host the San Francisco Demons in a semi-final playoff at the Florida Citrus Bowl on April 14, 2001.
Links
###
